Well drilling apparatus



W. J. WILLIAMS WELL DRILLING APPARATUS May 19, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1951 8 j I mm d 0 J6 7 nnww nnu v {a W] 7 2 ll. 8 o F W //V 5 w a 1 5 mm v v 6 7 0 A. 4 8 Mg 2 I 2 23 1 888% i 28 Q if 8 a HH I HI IHHI I A 8 u A vr\.r L 5 4 5 L MW w a 7 w 9 2 am w M m T A May 19, 1953 w. J. WILLIAMS 33,

'WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

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A TTORNEY Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Welton J. Williams, Brownfield, Tex.

Application February 12, 1951, Serial No'. 210,516 3 7 Claims. (01. 166 -19) The present invention relates to rotary well drilling equipment, and more particularly to apparatus for circulating drilling fluid through and around core drilling mechanism, and well cleanout bailers or junk-fishing tools.

Clean-out bailers or junk fishing tools are used in rotary well drilling equipment for removing debris from the well bottom. They usually consist of a tubular body with debris catchers in the bore or chamber thereof. Debris, such as bit pieces, cones reamer blade and all such junk metal, is forced off the well bottom and upwardly into the chamber by circulation of drilling fluid or mud. In operating such tools, the well fluid is pumped downwardly in the annular space within the well casing and around the drill stem or drilling string. such fluid is stopped by the well bottom, and the fluid then travels upwardly through the bore of the tubular body, with the junk pieces being entrained in the fluid so that they are carried upwardly above the debris catchers therein.

Such a junk fishing tool is disclosed in United States patent numbered 2,169,922, which was issued August 15, 1939, to J. H. Notley.

Conventional core-bits consist substantially of a tubular bit body, the lower end of which consists of an annular row of cutting teeth. The body is attached to the lower end of the drilling string to form a continuation thereof, and is rotated by rotation of the drilling string, which in turn is driven by power applied to its upper end above the earths surface.

Like the above described bailers or junk fishing tools, the drilling fluid is forced downwardly through the annular space, and then passes upwardly in the bit body or core barrel. Such a core drilling mechanism is disclosed in United States patent numbered 2,100,311, which was issued on November 30, 1937, to A. C. C'atland.

An object of the present device is to provide a The downward movement of tool which is adapted to be installed in the drill- I ing string, at a point next above a junk fishing tool or core barrel, such tool making it possible to pump the well fluid downwardly through the drill-string, instead of the annular space.

Another object is to provide a wash-out tool so designed that well fluid may be selectively circulated both upwardly through the core barrel or the debris catcher.

A further object is to provide a wash-out tool which may be installed in the drilling string directly above any conventional debris catcher or core barrel, and which, when so installed, will function to produce reverse circulation through either, with the wash-out liquid being initially delivered downwardly through the drilling string regardless of the direction it flows through the barrel or catcher.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying two sheets of drawings, wherein:

2 "Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism before the packer: thereof has been expanded, and showing the lower end of the mechanism 'operatively connected to the upper end of a conventional core catching tool;

Figure '2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the remainder of said'core catching tool;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the mechanism with the packer expanded; and,

Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are horizontal sectional views taken respectively along the lines 4-4, 55, 66,' and'T- l of Fig. 1.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings: I

The reference numeral l indicates the lower end of the lowermost section of a conventional drill stem or pipe-string of rotary well drilling apparatus, and the reference numeral 2 indicates a string of conventional well casing which is anchored in a well, not shown.

The device, per se,.consists' substantially of a tubular body which is composed of two tubular sections' The'upper section is indicated by the reference numeral l0 and the lower section by the numeral I I, and the two sections are connected together in axial alignment by threads 12. The upper end of the body section is provided with tool-joint threads 13 by which it is connected to the lower end of the pipe section I. The lower end of the body section I l is equipped with tool-joint threadshi by which it is connected to the upper end of a conventional core barrel 3.-

Although the core barrel 3, and its supported core drilling bit. 4 therebelow, are adapted to be used in conjunction with the'mechanism of the present invention, it does not form an actual part of the invention. Such conventional core taking tools usually include a plurality of annularly spaced bit blades 5 mounted on the lower end of the bit 4, which is in turn connected to the lower end of the-core barrel 3. The tool usually includes one or more sets of radially spaced fingers 6, which are pivotallymountedin the bore 1 of the bit body 5 to prevent downward escape of a core, or of debris, which enters the barrel 3 through its open lower-end.

The elements indicated in the drawings by the reference numerals I' through 1 are conventional parts of conventional-equipment, and are not parts of the present inventive mechanism, per se..

shown, to coincide in diameter at its lower end with the upper end of the bore I9 of said core catching barrel 3. Theupper end of the lower section H is indicated by the numeral 2!.

Intermediate its ends, the exterior surface of the upper body section is abruptly reduced in diameter to form an upper shoulder'fli, with the cylindrical surface 22 therebelow being perfectly smooth (Fig. 3). Adjacent the upper end of the reduced surface 22, the wall "of the section 10 is rovided with two oppositely disposed through slots 23 and 24 which are elongated vertically.

Surrounding the surface 22, there is provided a resilient tubate packer or sleeve 25 having its upperend vulcanized to a'metal :ring 26 which is slidable vertically with relation to the surface 2-2. The lower end of the sleeve 2'5 is vulcanized to a metal ring 2 1, which seats .upon a resilient gasket 28, which is supported upon the upper end surface M "of the lower body section H. A similar gasket '29 is provided around the surface 22 below the shoulder 25! :and above the ring '26.

The axial bore of the upper body section H3 is indicated by the reference numeral 38, and slidablydisposed within this :bore 3 0 there is provided a tubate sleeve .34. The sleeve 3! is rigidly connected to the upper ring 26 -:of the packer by two horizontal studs 32 and 33 which respectively extend through the slots 23 and 24 in the wall of the body section H). The arrangement is such that downward movement of the sleeve 3! causeszasimilar movement :of the upper end portion iGf the packer sleeve 25, which deforms the sleeve from the cylindrical form of Fig. 1 to the centrally distendedconfiguration of Fig. 3. When deformed as illustrated in Fig. 3, the sleeve 25 is torced into sealing engagement with the well casing '2.

Within the confines of the tubular wall of the sleeve-iii, and extending from end to end thereof, there is provided a plurality of radially spaced channels The channels 3% permit passage of fluid through the sleeve "3], even though its bore 35 is closed, as is more; fully described hereinbelow.

Beneath the lower endof the s'leeveB I and with its lower end seated 'upon the shoulder 15 of the lower body section H, there is provided a helical expansion spring 35 which resists downward movement of the sleeve 3! Within the confines of the tribute wall of the lower body section l l', there is provided a plurality of radially spaced vertical fluid passages 36. The upper ends of the passages cs terminate in an annular groove '31 which is partially formed in the shoulder I and partially in the lower end surface of the upper body section ii). The wall of the upper body section Hl is provided with radially spaced vertical passages 38, which extend from "the groove 31 upwardly to a point above the packer, and then slant outwardly to emerge at the outer surface of the section (Fig. 1). The groove 3? acts to insure communication between the adjacent ends of the passages 36 and 38, regardless of the relative radial positions of the body sections "ill and H.

slanting downwardly and outwardly from the upper'bore [6 of the body section H, and passing through the wall thereof, there 'is provided a plurality of fluid ports 39 Fluid may pass downwardly through the channels 34 or the bore 45 of the sleeve 3i to reach the bore 30 of the upper body section l0, and may flow from the bore 30 to the smaller bore IS in the lower body section I l. The ports 39 permit escape of the fluid from the bore I 6 to the annular space 40 lying between the body and the well casing 2. This an- ;nular space is illustrated iniFigs. 2 and 3, and is indicated by the reference numeral 40.

Operation "The mechanism, with the sleeve 3| and packer 25 in the condition illustrated in Fig. 1, is loweredinto the cased well with the core barrel 3 and bitbody *4 attached "therebelow, as illustrated, or with aconventional debris catcher installed in lieu thereof, if desired. During this lowering operation, the casing is ordinarily full of drilling fluid or"1uud, and the vertical bores 39, 45, I 6, [8, "f9 and H are all completely open, so that the mechanism may readily travel downwardly through the mud without any plunger action.

The lowering operation is continued until the bit-blades are adiacent the well bottom '50. The mud circulating pump on the earths surface is started, and fluid is circulated downwardly through the core barrel and bit to wash cuttings or debris upwardly into the annular space 40' so that the bit blades may be seated upon the well bottom.

JV-hen th'e'bit blades are thus seated, 'th'e'mecha-nism is in position to-dr'ill an annular hole, with its center left connected to the well bottom. However, before the pipe string is rotated to start cutting hole, steel ball 51 is inserted within the upper end of "the pipe string. The ball 5-! descends with the mud, and finally lodges upon the seat ll to close the bore ill in the body section H. Since the downwardly traveling fluid cannot thereafter pass through the bore l8, its path is diverted downwardly and outwardly through the-outlet ports 39 to the annular space til. In reaching the upper ends "of the ports 39, the fluid passes from the pipe string downwardly through the bore and channels 3 5 of the sleeve 3! to entcr'the bore 30 of the body section til, from whence it flows into the bore H3 and channels 39.

Following the dropping of the small ball'5 l and after it has had time to lodge in its seated position as shown in Fig. 1, a second and larger steel ball 52 is dropped into the pipe string. This sec- 0nd ball gravitates to a seated position upon the upper end of the sleeve 3i, andcloses the bore '45 thereof. When the ball 52 is thus the sleeve 3! is forced tomove downwardly in the bore 3'0, with thehorizontal studs 32 and'33 moving downwardly in the guide slots 23 and 24 in the wall of the body-section l0. Downward movement of the sleeve 3! causes a similar movement of the upper packer ring 26, and consequently, the packer sleeve '25 is expanded into sealing engagement with the well casing 2 (Fig. 3).

After the larger ball "52 is seated and the packer is expanded, the fluid is still free to pass downwa-rd-ly through the vertical channels 34 in the wall of the sleeve 31, and downward circulation may therefore be maintained through the outlet ports 39 to the annular space ill.

After the packer has been expanded, fluid ent'ering the annular space Ell can no longer travel upwardly in the annular-space, and consequently, it follows the line of least resistance and enters the bore 7 of the bit 4 by passing between the blades 5. The fluid then travels upwardly through the bore it of the barrel 3, and enters the lower ends of the vertical passages 36 in the 'bodysection l i Th'eupwardly moving fluid then passes "into the annular groove 31, and thence into the lower ends of the passages 3'8 "in the upper body section l0, through which it travels to the annular space 40 at a point above the packer 25. The circulating fluid returns to the earths surface via the annular space.

During rotation of the pipe string and of the above described mechanism to accomplish the core drilling operation, the expanded packer rotates with the mechanism, and during this rotation it scrapes or rubs against the inside surface of the well casing 2. For this reason, the channels 34 in the sleeve 3| are bored in such diameters that their combined areas are only Slightly less in area than the combined areas of the outlet ports 39. Consequently, the expanding pressure on the packer is not suflicientto cause an excess of wear upon the external surface thereof.

When fluid circulation is discontinued, the spring 35 acts to return the sleeve 3| to the upper I end of its travel, and to thereby return the packer to the condition shown in Fig. 1.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A reverse circulation wash-out mechanism to be run in a cased well on the lower end of a pipe-string extending downwardly in the well from the earths surface to adjacent the well bottom, said mechanism being positioned above a debris or core catching tool, and including: a tubular body having its upper end threadedly connected to the lower end of the pipe-string, and having its lower end connected to the upper end of said tool; an axial bore in the upper portion of said body; a reduced upwardly presented shoulder in said bore and forming a ball seat; a second bore extending axially through the body below said seat; radially spaced fluid outlet ports extending from the upper bore outwardly through the wall of the body; a tubular sleeve slidably disposed in said upper bore; a ball seat on the upper end of said sleeve; longitudinal flow passages in the wall of said sleeve through which fluid may flow when its bore is closed; a resilient packer around the body, said packer connected to the sleeve and expandable by downward movement thereof; and radially spaced vertical passages in the wall of said body, said passages extending upwardly from the lower bore to a point above the packer, and thence outwardly through the body wall above said packer.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1, and: a ball adapted to be dropped through the pipe string, through said sleeve, and through said upper bore, into seated position upon the lower seat.

3. Structure as specified in claim 1, and: a ball adapted to be dropped through the pipe string, through said sleeve and through said upper bore, into seated position upon the lower seat; and a second ball of larger diameter adapted to be dropped into seated position upon the upper end of said sleeve,

4. Structure as specified in claim 1, and: a ball adapted to be dropped through the pipe string, through said sleeve, and through the upper bore, into seated position upon the lower seat, after which any fluid pumped downwardly through the string is forced outwardly through said ports to the annular space in the well casing, said fluid thence traveling upwardly through the lower end of said tool to the lower bore of the mechanism and into said passages,

5. Structure as specified in claim 1, and: a

ball adapted to be dropped through the pipe string, through said sleeve, and through the upper bore, into seated position upon the lower seat, after which any fluid pumped downwardly through the string is forced outwardly through said ports to the annular space in the well casing, said fluid thence traveling upwardly through the lower end of said tool to the lower bore of the mechanism and into said passages; a second ball of larger diameter adapted to be dropped into seated position upon said sleeve, whereby downwardly traveling fluid in said string acts to move the sleeve downwardly to expand the packer into sealing engagement with the well casing.

6. A reverse circulation wash-out mechanism to be run in a cased well on the lower end of a pipe-string extending downwardly in the well from the earths surface to adjacent the well bottom, said mechanism being positioned above a conventional debris or core catching tool, and including: a tubular body having its upper end threadeclly connected to the lower end of the pipe string, and having its lower end connected to the upper end of said tool; an axial bore in the upper portion of said body; a reduced upwardly presented shoulder in said bore and forming a ball seat; a second bore extending axially through the body below said seat; radially spaced fluid outlet ports extending outwardly through the wall of the body from a point above said ball seat; a tubular sleeve slidably disposed in said upper bore and having a plurality of channels formed within the confines of its wall and extending from end to end thereof; a ball seat on the upper end of said sleeve inside of the annular ring of channel ends; a resilient packer around the body, said packer connected to the sleeve and expandable by downward movement thereof; and radially spaced vertical ports within the confines of the wall of said body, said ports extending upwardly from the lower bore to a point above said packer, and thence outwardly through the body wall above said packer.

7. Structure as specified in claim 6 and: a ball adapted to be dropped through the pipe string, through said sleeve, and through the upper bore, into seated position upon the lower seat, after which any fluid pumped downwardly through the string is forced outwardly through said ports to the annular space in the well casing, said fluid thence traveling upwardly through the lower end of said tool to the lower bore of the mechanism and into said passages, a second ball of larger diameter adapted to be dropped into seated position upon said sleeve, whereby downwardly traveling fluid in said string acts to move the sleeve downwardly to expand the packer into sealing engagement with the well casing, with the channels in the sleeve wall admitting downward circulation of the fluid from the string to the upper bore of the body, after said larger ball is seated and the packer is expanded.

WELTON J. WILLIAMS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,090,616 Erwin Aug. 24, 1937 2,138,375 Grant Nov. 29, 1938 2,550,080 Moore Apr. 24, 1951 2,550,228 Costin Apr. 24, 1951 

